Background of poultry farming in Zambia
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THE Poultry Association of Zambia (PAZ) has recorded an increase in the production of day-old broiler chicks from 73.9 million in 2014 to 78.9 million in 2015 due to the rise in demand for poultry products.
PAZ national chairperson Rhodnie Sisala also attributed the increase to the rise in the demand for table eggs and new investments both in backward and upstream of day-old chicks.
Mr Sisala said at the PAZ annual general meeting on Tuesday that the coming of Zamhatch on the market brought the total number of commercial hatcheries to eight.
“During the period under review, the poultry sector continued to record positive and sustained annual growth rates which were mainly driven by the broiler and layers sub-sector.
“The good performance of the poultry industry can be attributed to high demand for consumption of poultry meat and investments in both primary and secondary upstream value addition,†he said.
He also said the production of table eggs increased by about 18 percent from almost one million in 2014 to over 1.2 million eggs in 2015, with 30 percent of the total production being exported to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He said the increase in production of eggs pushed per capital egg consumption from 60 eggs in 2014, to 70 eggs in 2015.
Mr Sisala, however, said the production of day old pullet chicks decreased from 2.6 million in 2014 to 2.4 million in 2015, while processed sub-sector total chickens were about 35,802 tonnes, representing 30 percent of the broiler market.
He said of the total processed chickens, five percent was exported while 95 percent was sold domestically.
At the same occasion, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Minister Greyford Monde said the sector is significantly contributing to the diversification programme and Government will ensure it puts up measures to help the industry grow.
Earlier, Zambia National Farmer Union (ZNFU) president Evelyn Nguleka said the depreciation of the Kwacha has had negative effect on the agriculture sector.